SERVLINE PROGRAM
Who else offers this type of program?
Why is this an opt-out program?
Will this cause more work for utility staff?
How do customers respond to the program?
Who else offers this type of program?
Currently ServLine is the only company in the country offering this as an insurance-backed program that is vetted and partnered with the National Rural Water Association and multiple state associations. The program has paid 100% of claims that have met the utility’s leak guidelines.
Why is this an opt-out program?
There was concern that a portion of the customer base would miss the notice information, so an opt-out approach prevents those customers from falling through the cracks and facing an unexpected and expensive charge.
Will this cause more work for utility staff?
Once implemented, the program will simplify the utility staff’s workload and should decrease the amount of time and effort spent on leak adjustments. There is setup and training that takes place during the launch process. However, a ServLine team personally guides the staff through this process and will continue to be a resource to the utility staff after launch.
How do customers respond to the program?
Across the nation, we have over a 96% participation rate because most customers appreciate the robust benefit and peace of mind it provides for a small charge.
SERVICE LINE WARRANTY PROGRAM BY HOMESERVE
How long has the company been in business?
How are our citizens notified of the program?
What cooperation will be needed from the cities?
When do you solicit residents?
Does NLC or HomeServe sell or rent the personal information of residents who enroll in the program?
Benefits
How much will residents save by using this home warranty program?
Will this program cost the city any money?
What benefits does the city receive from endorsing this program?
Responsibilities
Who administers the program?
What are the city’s responsibilities?
Why does the city have to provide a city seal, address and signature?
Will we get a lot of calls from citizens when they get the letter?
Products
How will citizens know what is covered?
What items are included as part of the home warranty?
What are the event caps for the home warranty? What are the annual caps per household?
The coverage cap looks adequate, but is there an annual or lifetime restriction on how much you will pay to repair?
Doesn’t homeowner’s insurance cover these types of repair?
Who replaces landscaping if damaged?
What building codes will you adhere to?
Customer Service
Will a customer have a long hold time when reporting a claim?
Can the customer speak with a live operator when they call?
What is the claims process?
Contractors
Who performs the repair work?
How selective are you when choosing contractors to conduct repairs?
SERVICE LINE WARRANTY PROGRAM BY HOMESERVE
PROGRAM
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How long has the company been in business?
The company’s roots go back to 1998 when it was originally formed as Columbia Service Partners (CSP), a part of the gas utility Columbia Energy, to provide service line warranties for its utility customers. In September 2003, CSP management acquired the company from Columbia Energy and Utility Service Partners (USP) was formed. USP continued to expand and grow the business through city and utility partnerships and in 2010 became the official administrator of the National League of Cities Service Line Warranty Program. In July 2016, USP and SLWP was acquired by HomeServe USA.
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How are our citizens notified of the program?
The program mails homeowners an educational outreach letter explaining their service line responsibility and offering an optional repair service program.
What cooperation will be needed from the cities?
NLC SLWP desires to enter into a co-branded marketing services agreement with each city. The agreement provides for the use of the city name/logo, in conjunction with our company’s logo, on marketing materials sent to citizens. The city is endorsing NLC SLWP as the service provider for the warranty program.
When do you reach out to residents?
We have found the optimal outreach times are in the spring and fall of each year.
Does NLC or HomeServe sell or rent the personal information of residents who enroll in the program?
No. Neither NLC nor HomeServe will sell or rent the names of prospective customers or participants.
BENEFITS
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How much will residents save by using this home warranty program?
While costs of water line and sewer line repairs can very, the average cost of repairing a broken water line is approximately $500 while the average cost to repair a clogged sewer line is approximately $300.* Replacing a water or sewer line is much more expensive, potentially costing thousands of dollars, depending on the extent of the work, layout of the home and region.
Will this program cost the city any money?
No. The program covers all costs of educational outreach, service delivery and program administration. Furthermore, the city can elect to receive a royalty for each resident participating in the program, or the city can elect to forego the royalty and pass the savings on to the residents.
What benefit does the city receive from endorsing this program?
By endorsing the program, the city is able to reduce residents’ frustration over utility line failures by bringing them low-cost service options. The program can also generate extra revenue for the city through the royalty that is paid to the city for each resident participating. Finally, the program helps to stimulate the local economy through the use of local-area contractors to complete the repairs.
RESPONSIBILITIES
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Who administers the program?
NLC Service Line Warranty Program by HomeServe administers the program and is responsible for all aspects of the program, including marketing, billing, customer service and performing all repairs to local code using local, licensed and approved contractors.
What are the city’s responsibilities?
We ask each city to provide: 1) a copy of the city seal, if available, for the educational outreach communication, 2) the city’s return address for the outer envelope (this ensures a high open rate), 3) the name, title and signature sample of the designated signor, and 4) the appropriate zip codes of the city to allow us to purchase a mailing list of the residents.
Why does the city have to provide a city seal, address and signature?
We have found that while the letter is written in such a manner as to leave no doubt that it is a separate program (the Program logo is on the enrollment form), the municipality address drives a very high open rate and the seal and signature lend credibility to the offer, thus driving a much higher enrollment rate.
Will we get a lot of calls from citizens when they get the letter?
A press release provided by SLWP and issued prior to the first mailing will help alleviate citizen concerns, which should result in nominal calls to the city.
PRODUCTS
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How will citizens know what is covered?
All customers receive a set of terms and conditions, which detail what is and is not covered, upon enrollment in a repair plan. They have 30 days from the date of enrollment to cancel and receive a full refund.
What items are included as part of the home warranty program?
The exterior water and/or sewer/septic line repair plans cover the underground service lines from the foundation of the home to the point where the lines become the utility’s responsibility. If any part of the line is broken and/or leaking, SLWP will repair or replace the line in order to restore service (which can include clearing tree roots from the water or sewer line).
What are the event caps for the home warranty? What are the annual caps per household?
The exterior water and/or sewer/septic line repair plans cover up to $8,500 per occurrence. There are no annual or lifetime caps for coverage. Coverage is provided on a per-incident basis and all work is warrantied for one year. It has been our experience that these coverage caps will more than adequately provide coverage 99.9% of the time. In the rare instance that the repair is greater than the coverage provided, we will work closely with the contractor to provide the homeowner the additional work at a discounted cost.
Please note – some cities require special coverage caps to reflect local conditions. Please contact NLC SLWP to determine if such special caps are needed in your city.
The coverage cap looks adequate, but is there an annual or lifetime restriction on how much you will pay to repair?
No. Unlike some other warranties available, we provide you with the full coverage per incident. We will pay up to your coverage amount each and every time you need us. We do not deduct prior repair expense from your coverage cap or limit the amount we will pay annually.
Doesn’t homeowner’s insurance cover these types of repair?
Typically, no. Most homeowner policies will pay to repair the damage caused by failed utility lines, but they generally do not pay to repair the actual broken pipes or lines. We encourage you to call your insurance company to determine your actual coverage.
Who replaces landscaping if damaged?
The NLC Service Line Warranty Program will provide basic restoration to the site. This includes filling in holes, mounding the trench (to allow for settling) and raking and seeding the affected area. Restoration does not include replacing trees or shrubs or repairing private paved/concrete surfaces. This is outlined in the terms and conditions sent to the customer.
What building codes will you adhere to?
If the line is broken and leaking, SLWP will repair or replace the leaking portion of the line according to the current code. However, the program is not responsible for bringing lines that are not in need of repair up to code.
CUSTOMER SERVICE
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Will a customer have a long hold time when reporting a claim?
No. Repair calls receive the highest priority and are answered 24/7/365.
Can the customer speak with a live operator when they call?
Yes. Customers are directed to select to speak with either a service or claims agent and will then be directed to a live agent in the appropriate department.
What is the claims process?
The contact center is staffed with live representatives 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year to provide exemplary customer service. Customers are provided a dedicated toll-free number to reach HomeServe. After calling to report a home repair emergency, the customer receives a call back from a qualified contractor within two hours to agree upon a convenient time for the contractor to arrive at the home to execute the repair. Once repairs are completed, the homeowner signs off and we pay the contractor directly. Typically, repairs are completed within 24 hours. Emergencies receive priority handling.
CONTRACTORS
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Who performs the repair work?
HomeServe currently manages and deploys over 1,600 independent contractor firms, employing thousands of highly qualified, rigorously vetted service technicians.
How selective are you when choosing contractors to conduct repairs?
HomeServe only selects contractors who share our commitment to excellence in customer service. Scorecards are maintained for each contractor, tracking the customer satisfaction rating for work performed. Customer feedback is shared with our contractors and any contractor with a low customer satisfaction rating is removed from the network.
* National average repair costs as of June 2020.